Studies suggest Harappan civilization dates back to 8000 years ago

Indian scientist and archaeologist have recently published a study that shows Harappan civilization is older than it has been said so far by at least 8,000 years old.The breakthrough study highlights the fact that monsoon decline was not the only factor that led to the extinction of the civilization.

A team of researchers from IIT Kharagpur, Institute of Archeology, Deccan College Pune, Physical Research Laboratory and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) also pinpoints at other factors like change in subsistence strategy, by shifting crop patterns were also the reason behind the collapse of the Harappan civilization.

The study also suggests that the farmers changed their farming practices according to the monsoon pattern the agricultural practice shifted from water-intensive crops to drought-resistant crops.

Commenting on this latest development Anindya Sarkar of the Department of Geology and Geophysics, IIT Kharagpur said, “Our finding suggests that despite monsoon decline it was not the only factor behind the decline of the civilization. Our study suggests that there were other causes of like a change in subsistence strategy.

She further explained that people in Harappan civilization shifted their crop patterns from large-grained cereals like wheat and barley during heavy monsoon time to small millets and rice during the period of declining monsoon. It led to changes in their subsistence strategy.

Some of the major centers of the civilization on the Indian sub-continent are Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan and Lothal and Dholavira and Kalibangan in India. The finding of this study was revealed from major excavation site of Bhirrana in Haryana, which has preservation from pre-Harappan age down to the matured Harappan age. The researchers found the pottery to be beyond 6000 years old by usIng a technique called optically stimulated luminescence (OSL).

The finding of this latest development on Harappan Civilization got published in the journal Nature Scientific Report on May 25.